John Dame Collection
Inclusive Dates
1929 – 1984
Bulk Dates
1940 – 1977
Preservation Sponsor
John Dame
Abstract
The John Dame Collection consists of 16mm and 8mm home movies shot by multiple generations of an Illinois family. Most of the home movies document life in the western Chicago suburb of Elmhurst, Illinois, including community parades, graduations, weddings and high school football games. The collection also contains extensive footage of global travel, sailing, and kayaking.
Description
This collection of home movies was shot by Illinois family members James Stokes Dame, John Stevens Dame, Byron Francis Stevens, Charles Francis Stevens and Cynthia Charlotte Stevens. The films shot by John Dame document his childhood in Elmhurst, Illinois, his wife and her family, his extensive travels, his love of aviation and filmmaking, and his passion for sailing. The home movies taken by Byron Stevens record family life in Elmhurst with his wife, Charlotte Huntington Wood Stevens, and their children (Gloria, Richard, Charles, Elizabeth and Cynthia) and their vacations, including regular trips to the lake cottage at Lac Courte Oreilles near Hayward, Wisconsin owned by his father Francis Oscar Stevens. Charles Stevens’ home movies depict family life in Villa Park, Illinois with his wife, Mary Stevens (formerly Burlie), and their children (Stan, Mark, Sharon, Marcia, Scott and John) and their travels. Cynthia Stevens’ home movies document family life in Waukesha, Wisconsin with her husband, Gary and their children (Elizabeth and Rebecca), and their travels. John Dame and the Byron Stevens children attended York Community High School in Elmhurst (Charles Stevens also attended Wayland Academy in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin and the Missouri Military Academy in Mexico, Missouri). The collection also includes two films showing family member Kathryn Joan Schmidt competing in javelin at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada.
Collection Items
Film
1964-1965: Sharon Birthday (Horse Cake) - New York World's Fair - Stan - Cub Scout - Picnic in Wilden Pk. - Scott waking up - John as Baby - Sharron - Sandy at Zoo
1964 – 1965
Film
1972-1979: Marcia - Baton - Sally - Stan + Barb - Sharon - Horse Show - 1979 Family Reunion - Mom's 75th
1972 – 1979
To request more information about the items in this collection, please contact the archive at
info@chicagofilmarchives.org.
Items with Viewable Media
-
SERIES I: John Dame Films
- 1929-1931
- 1940-1944: Dame Family
- 1942-1949: Dame Family
- 1955-1957: Wisconsin - Larkin - Tanglewood
- 1957-1959: NU Band - Sky Harbor Etc.
- 1958: Elmhurst Miscellaneous
- 1958: Guatemala
- 1958: Guatemala etc
- 1960: 3-D Negative
- 1960: 3-D Print
- 1960: 3-D Print
- 1961: Gunflint Lake; 1964: Florida, Geo.
- 1961: Oberlin Graduation; 1972: Daytona - December
- 1966: Ephraim; 1969: Sailboat - Summer
- 1969: Spain; 1971: New Orleans Mardi Gras -- February
- 1970: South America February 3R1
- 1970: South America February 3R2
- 1970: South America February 3R3
- 1971: Central America December 2R1
- 1971: Central America December 2R2
- 1971: Sailing the Grenadines
- 1973: Dupage Air Show July
- 1973: Mayan Mexico February
- 1974: Colombia-Ecuador December 2R2
- 1974: Columbia-Ecuador December 2R1
- 1974: Pacific Trip March
- 1974: San Diego February
- 1974: Seeadler vs. K-1 August
- 1975-1977: Kayak Peshtigo Wolf
- 1975: Bavaria - Castles - Lake
- 1975: Bavaria October Reel 1
- 1975: Bavaria October Reel 2
- 1975: Kayak Pool - Demo
- 1975: Kayak Pool EF Orig
- 1975: Kayak - Wolf
- 1975: WP Kayak Pool 2
- 1976: Asia
- 1977: Indonesia -- IIAPCO
- 1977: Wolf Kayak
- 1977: Wolf Kayak WP
- 1980: Kayak - Wolf
- 1982: Class Reunion - Martin Helicopter
- 1983: San Francisco March
- 1984: Bonaire February
- 1984: Hot Air Balloon Meet September
- Instruments of the Band and Orchestra: Introduction
- Instruments of the Band and Orchestra: The Brasses
- 1940-1941; 1951
- 1941-1943
- 1941-1952: Neighbors
- 1941: California Vacation
- 1944-1945
- 1945-1947
- 1947-1948
- 1948: Hot Springs Woodhaven
- 1949-1951
- 1949-1952, 1955: Fishing Vacation
- 1949-1952: MMA - Wayland
- 1950-1951
- 1951-1955
- 1952
- 1953
- 1953-1957: Colorado Trip - Silver Cliff - Aspen Ski Lift - Colorado Springs - Beth + Cindy - At end, Chuck 48 Chrysler Town + Country, Stan Baby
- 1953: York Fall Homecoming - Cindy Party - Chuck Car Baby - Elmhurst Reunion; 1954: Fishing - Beth and Stan Homecoming - California Knotts Berry Farm - Halloween - Philatelic Picnnic; 1955: Fishing - Decoration Day Parade
- 1955
- 1955-1957
- 1955: C. Stevens Edited Film
- 1959-1960: Cindy's YCHS Homecoming - Band
- 1959: Xmas
- 1961: Steve Schmidt Fishing Trip with Al and Dad (Byron)
- 1962: California Trip
- 1962: Christmas; 1963: Coulter's Farewell - Bridge Club; 1964 - Neighbors - Friends - Bridge Club -Party
- 1962: Cindy Bicycle - Cindy School; 1963: Spring - Family - Christmas; 1964: Easter - Lambs - Bridge Club - Picnic Charby
- 1963-1965: Kiki - Fall - Library - Family
- 1963: BFS and Ships
- 1963: Christmas; 1964: Bridge Club - Picnic
- 1963: Christmas at Schmidt's - Labyrinth; 1964: Lincoln Day Picnic - Berkeley (Father's Visit) - Muir Woods
- 1963: Elmhurst - Packing - Honeymoon Films - Shadow Shots - Berkeley Campus - Ludwig
- 1963: Fishing Ghost Lake
- 1963: Wedding August
- 1963: Wedding [Print]
- 1964: 40th Anniversary - Charby Manor - 1
- 1964: Berkeley - Cindy and Gary
- 1964: California
- 1964: Fall - Xmas Family
- 1964: Homecoming; 1965: Lake of Woods, May - Cindy's Graduation, June - Sunday Picnic in Elmhurst - Dick & Carol's Wedding - Sand Pit in Fairbury - Elmhurst Library Dedication, September - Al & Gloria's Visit, November - Jeanne & Charles Larosa, December - Christmas, Our Tree
- 1964: Philatelic
- 1964: Rotarian Yacht Outing - Trip to Holland, Michigan
- 1964: Summer Baseball Game - Flight Home - Chuck & Mary & Children - Jean & Frank's Wedding - Dunes (Cindy) - Mom & Dad's Return Home From Tour
- 1964: Summer - Fall - Xmas
- 1965: 1st Day Schmidts - Starved Rock
- 1965: 40th Roll 2
- 1965: Christmas - #1 Palm Beach
- 1965: Florida
- 1965: Florida - Christmas
- 1965: FPS Picnic - Memorial Day Picnic - Cindy Graduation - 35th Anniversary
- 1965: FPS Picnic Roll 1 40th
- 1965: January to June
- 1965: Roll 2
- 1965: Rotary Cruise
- 1965: Rotary Yachting
- 1965: Untitled
- 1965: Untitled
- 1965: Untitled
- 1966: Boat
- 1966: Lauderdale Susan and Dick
- Beth
- Grand Marshall Schmidts
- Untitled
- Untitled
- Untitled
- Untitled
- 1954-1955: Stan as Baby - Xmas in Chicago
- 1956-1962: Forest Park - Centennial Parade - Xmas - Sharon as Baby
- 1958-1959: Marcia as Baby
- 1958-1959: Sharon as Baby - Xmas in Forest Park - Northport - Gramps
- 1958-1962: Stan as baby - Florida Trip - Mark as Baby
- 1960-1962: Worthington - Great Gramma Burlie - John, Judy, Johnny - Bill - Nancy - Last 1/3: Scott as Baby
- 1962-1964: DELLS - Scott 1 YR - Tony as pup - Xmas 1964
- 1964-1965: Sharon Birthday (Horse Cake) - New York World's Fair - Stan - Cub Scout - Picnic in Wilden Pk. - Scott waking up - John as Baby - Sharron - Sandy at Zoo
- 1964-1965: Stan - Mark Baseball - Football Contest - Library Dedication - Xmas 1965
- 1966-1967: Starved Rock - Northport - St. Louis Trip - Sharon on Horses
- 1966-1972: New House - Stan Basketball - Sharon Ducks - Sharon + Sandy - Girl Scouts - Marcia Jumping Rope - Sharon White Mice - St. Louis Musial Ded. - Xmas - Florida - Lake
- 1967-1968: Stan Church - Florida Trip - House on Adams - Scott + Tony - Cindy + Gary - Picnic - Lord's Pk - Starved Rock - Stan Baseball - Sharon, Mark
- 1972-1979: Marcia - Baton - Sally - Stan + Barb - Sharon - Horse Show - 1979 Family Reunion - Mom's 75th
- 1976: Olympics #1
- 1976: Olympics #2
- 1966: Charles Larosa - Kite Flying in March - Barb's Formal - Our Garden in May and June - Byron and Charlotte's 40th Anniversary - Yacht Club Visit - Summer Softball - Harrises at Christmas - Florida Trip - Christopher at Two Weeks
- 1967: Christopher Seifert and Karl - Late March Kite Flying - Elizabeth Gail's First Movies - Gail's Graduation - Grandma and Grandpa Visit From Chicago in June - Same Old Men Wrap Up Softball Championship - Evan Conlee and Beth in September - Evan and Beth Bathe Together in October - The Fairbury Stevenses in Mid-November
- 1968: January Visit to Boeving's (St. Louis) - Zippy's First Steps Mid-February - Beth's Birthday (One Year Old) April - Our Vacation at Glen Lake, Michigan with Aunt Beth - Christmas At Fairbury
- 1969: Vacation - Traverse City Zoo - State Park - Woodlands Swimming - Sleeping Bear Dunes Park - Christmas Cove (Lake Michigan) - Dutch Shoe Factory and Village (Holland, Michigan) - Circus Parade, October - Crystal Lake Park Playground and Feeding Ducks - Christmas in Fairybury - First Movies of Becky - Chaos in Beth's Room; 1970: January Visit to Chicago
- 1970: Becky as Baby - Beth at Easter
- 1970: Becky's First Steps and First Birthday - Beth Dancing
- 1970: Beth at Zoo, Summer - Carroll Homecoming Parade
- 1970: Beth's La Petite Champaign - Beth in Sandbox - Becky in Backpack - Vietnam War Protest University of Illinois Union - Pre-Easter
SERIES II: Byron Stevens Films
SERIES III: Charles Stevens Films
SERIES IV: Cynthia Stevens Films
Collection Identifier
C.2018-03
Extent of Collection
69 reels of 8mm totaling approximately 9,631 feet; 66 reels of 16mm totaling approximately 23,673 feet; and 42 glass slides.
Language Of Materials
English
Creators
Dame, John
(was created by)
John Stevens Dame (1938- ) was born September 15, 1938 in Elmhurst, Illinois to James Stokes Dame and Hazel Stevens Dame. He grew up in Elmhurst, Illinois and attended York Community High School. He played French horn in the Chicago Youth Orchestra and the Boston Symphony’s Tanglewood Department One Orchestra. John studied at Northwestern University, where he was a member of the Northwestern Film Society and filmed the halftime band performances during football games. He also studied at the Argonne National Laboratory and the Illinois Institute of Technology. From 1962-1999 he worked for Motorola where he traveled extensively as part of their International Division from 1972-1988. His travels include trips to Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and Central and South America. John is an amateur filmmaker who enjoys sailing and is an avid kayaker as well as an aviator. He was also a member of the Chicago Whitewater Association and was part owner of the WCSJ AM and FM radio stations in Morris, Illinois.
Stevens, Byron
(was created by)
Stevens, Charles
(was created by)
Stevens, Cynthia
(was created by)
Dame, James
(was created by)